Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake
Robert Burns (17591796)A Man s a Man for a That
I
That hings his head, and a’ that?
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Our toils obscure, and a’ that;
The rank is but the guinea stamp;
The man ’s the gowd for a’ that.
Wear hoddin-grey, and a’ that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
A man ’s a man, for a’ that.
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, and a’ that:
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is King o’ men for a’ that.
Wha struts, and stares, and a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He ’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an a’ that,
His riband, star, and a’ that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at a’ that.
A marquis, duke, and a’ that;
But an honest man ’s aboon his might,
Gude faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their dignities and a’ that,
The pith o’ sense, and pride o’ worth,
Are higher rank than a’ that.
As come it will for a’ that;
That sense and worth, o’er a’ the earth,
May bear the gree, and a’ that;
For a’ that, and a’ that,
It ’s coming yet, for a’ that;
That man to man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.